High and deep: Abrams smacks remarkable homer as Nats cruise?

WASHINGTON -- Home runs often are noted for the distances they travel and the velocities at which they soar.

When CJ Abrams saw a fastball from Giants right-hander Hayden Birdsong up in the zone -- as in, really up, up in the zone -- he made his mark on a homer with a different measurement.

Abrams connected on the highest pitch hit for a home run this season -- 4.42 feet -- with a three-run blast during the Nationals’ the Nationals’ 11-5 win over the Giants on Tuesday at Nationals Park.

“I knew I got it,” Abrams said, pausing, “But I don’t know if I should have swung.”

The height of the pitch surpassed the 4.21-foot mark set by Giants third baseman Matt Chapman against Rays catcher Ben Rortvedt on April 13.

“I have no idea how he hit that ball,” said Birdsong. “Good for him. Guy can hit. They can hit fastballs, and I learned that. I knew that going in, but not very many people are hitting that ball. It was impressive.”

Abrams opened the second-inning at-bat by taking ball one in the dirt. He was called looking at a curveball down the middle and fouled off the next three pitches. Down 1-2, he had a plan.

“I had two strikes on me, I didn’t want to get beat by the fastball,” said Abrams. “I got a fastball, tried to get on top and I hit it. Hands to ball, hit the ball.”

The pitch Abrams hit also was the seventh-highest hit for a homer since pitch tracking began in 2008. On June 12, 2022, Kyle Higashioka hit a home run off first baseman Frank Schwindel at 4.61 feet to top the list. When tracking homers hit off non-position players, the most recent to best Abrams was Colin Moran, who connected on a pitch height of 4.45 feet off Matt Harvey on May 22, 2018.

“I still don’t really believe it,” said 6-foot-7 outfielder James Wood with a laugh. “It was crazy.”

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Abrams set a Nationals team milestone (2005-present) under pitch tracking, too. He surpassed Kyle Schwarber (4.19 feet; June 13, 2021), Bryce Harper (4.16 feet; Aug. 24, 2014) and Michael A. Taylor (4.06 feet; Oct. 12, 2017). Like Abrams, Schwarber and Harper hit those home runs against the Giants.

“It’s CJ,” said starting left-hander MacKenzie Gore. “There’s not really anything CJ does that surprises me, I would say. Hopefully, he doesn’t try to keep hitting balls like that out. But he did that one, and it was fun to watch.”

Abrams hit his 17th home run of the season, one shy of tying his career high. After watching a replay of the homer and realizing the pitch height, Abrams said, “I was confused on why I swung, but I was happy I did at the same time.”

Abrams went 2-for-5 with three RBIs on the night, his first multi-hit game since July 20. Following his first All-Star appearance, he had hit .152 with just three walks in the second half of the season.

“I just sat there and laughed, I really did,” said manager Dave Martinez. “The kid’s so talented. He stays in there and he hangs in there and when he gets a pitch like that and he puts a swing like he did on it, it’s a wow. It really is.

“But he’s that good. His hands are so quick. That’s why we keep trying to tell him that you don’t have to try to pull the ball. You just need to stay in the middle of the field and you’re going to be just fine.”

Abrams’ home run was part of a total team offensive effort. Keibert Ruiz and James Wood also homered; Ruiz, Wood, Alex Call, Juan Yepez and Ildemaro Vargas tallied multiple hits; and Call, Wood and Travis Blankenhorn joined Abrams with multiple RBIs.

“Don’t panic,” said Abrams. “They put four up early, but we can’t lay down. We just swing the bats like we did, and good things happen.”